Check out our press mention in: FOOD TECHNOLOGY MAGAZINE | ARTICLE
SHIFT20 took attendees on a virtual tour of the latest products, services, insights, and technologies that are shaping the science of food and ringing in a new era of innovation.
Creativity and out-of-the box thinking are indispensable attributes for successful ingredient suppliers, many of which have finely honed the art of anticipating and responding to changes in the way consumers think about food. So it was no surprise that at IFT’s first virtual expo, SHIFT20, the suppliers that help food and beverage manufacturers bring flavor, texture, and functionality to their products found resourceful ways to translate face-to-face experiences into meaningful and productive interactions with show attendees.
Supporting Health and Immunity
“Consumers are paying attention to their health now more than ever, including their gut health,” Troyer predicts a greater demand for foods containing probiotics as well as prebiotics, which, he notes, “fuel the growth of beneficial bacteria in [the] gut and, when fermented, produce short-chain fatty acids” associated with health benefits such as immune support.
“We are cognizant that with the advent of the coronavirus, brands have to be extra careful not to mislead consumers with immunity claims,” he adds. “We have been conscious during this time when discussing our Arrabina prebiotic dietary fiber’s structure-function claim regarding its immune support.”
Arrabina was the subject of a webinar presented at SHIFT20 by Comet Bio’s founder Andrew Richard, who outlined the results of a clinical trial that examined the digestive tolerance of the arabinoxylan prebiotic dietary fiber as compared with inulin. During the trial, roughly 50% of test subjects consuming inulin at 5 grams per day reported bloating as a symptom, while less than half of those consuming Arrabina at over twice the dose reported symptoms.
“This is important, because when we think about adding prebiotics to products, and adding enough for a health benefit, most prebiotics require a dose in the 4–5 gram range, which happens to be, for some fibers such as inulin, the point at which bloating and other symptoms can start to happen,” explains Richard.” So you’re requiring a level to get to a health benefit that also causes some distress and discomfort. Contrast that to Arrabina, which is well tolerated at 12 grams per day, and probably much higher,” to deliver “health benefits at significantly lower doses.”
